Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-30

she was paid many distinguished social
| attentions. Mrs. Cleveland was greatly
charmed by the brilliancy of the remark
| able lady and gave a reception in her
| honor.
When the war began in 1861 Clement
G. Clay withdrew from the United States
senate, and, accompanied by his wife, re
turned to their home in the south. They
were active in the affairs of the south
ern Confederacy, and were intimately
identified with the leaders in the 'lost
cause" Mrs Clay proved to be one of
| the best friends the southern soldiers ever
had, and many poor fellow has cause to
praise her name every time he hears it
mentioned She was with her husband
when he was arrested by the government
in 1865, and was Of the party composed of
Jefferson Davis and Clement G.. Clay, who,
with their families, were taken north to
prison. The ladies were not imprisoned,
but Mrs. Clay's husband was jeff. Davis
fellow prisoner at Fortress Monroe during
the period that the ex Confederate chief
tain was confined there. Mrs Clay sought
President johnson and petitioned him for
the release of her husband. She made
such a gallant and brilliant appeal that
her efforts were at last crowned with sue
cess. After the release Senator Clay and
his wife returned to their old home in the
south. Their large fortune had vanished,
| their city and country homes were
wrecked and they had to begin life anew,
| starting almost at the very foot of the
ladder. Senator Clay died in 1852, and
his death was mourned throughout the
south as the loss of one of its best friends
and most brilliant leaders.
Mrs. Clay is most brilliant CONVERSE
tionalist, and by all odds one of the most
remarkable women of the times. She must
be upward Of 60 years of age, and yet she
is as spry and gay socially as a belle of 49,
She is an apt story teller, writes beauti-
ful letter and enjoys life and its pleasures
MS much as any one. She possesses a re-
markable memory and never forgets a
| face or name. Her stories of the gay times
in Virginia (Which, by the way, is her
Christian name) Of almost half century
ago, of the brilliant social events of the
national capital and the good old ante
bellum days are the most captivating re
citals ever heard.
In personal appearance Mrs. Clay is n
strikingly handsome woman. She is tall,
finely formed, with snow white hair and a
complexion as clear and beautiful rs a
girls. She dresses very handsomely pos
sesses a fine carriage and n commanding
presence. Opie Read, who met Mrs. Clay
during her visit north last summer. truly
said of her:
She is the widow of Clement G. Clay, whose
memory stands like live oak and whose poltica
| accomplishments in the hands of the histo
rian, is perfect type of the high bred and brill
liant southern woman of a day whose sun is set
We see few-only a very few-of these women
now lingering in the twilight The dusk is settling
down he Ia which va
just now has faded from sight, and the chickens
with solemn flutter, are going to roost in the pear
trees The llatydd is hushed, and no more do We
hear the weird music of the old negroes quilts. A
rail pen surrounds the old Negroes grave. Mrs
Clay is one of the most interesting women WHOM
have ever met, and do not wonder that sht
was such a fayortc in Washington society year,
ago.
Mr.. Reads beautiful pen picture is
true one.
Mrs. Clay's story Of her experience dur
ing the war sounds like n tale of old
Northern soldiers lived for three years il
her beautiful country home in Alabama
When they left they sacked the premises
tore the wires out of her piano, smashed
silverware and bric-a-brac that had beer
collected in all parts Of the world and tori
the house down. Her sufTerings during
this awful period were very great Sh
was so closely connected with the leader
of the rebellion that many state secret
are known to her which are possessed b.
few other living people. The past few
years she has retrieved her lost fortune
and is now the owner of a fine cottol
plantation and private fortune. Man,
negroes who were her husbands slave
before the war are still employed on he
plantation, and are true and loyal to thi
distant day to "Missus Virginia" Sh
manages her own plantation and makes
pay. While sitting at brilliant banque
given by the people of St. Paul to tn
southern bellies at Minnetonka last sum
mer Mrs, Clay turned to me and said
"You can imagine how hard it is to leav
this delightful place, with its beautiful
scenery and its never ending banquets
and return to my hot southern home t
, renew my business associations wit
negroes and shave tailed mules"